2017 Ford Fusion Sport review: Do-everything sedan is fast but subtle

An honest dose of horsepower doesn't take away from the Fusion's main mission

June 26, 2017

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It's hard to find fault with the Fusion in any of its various trims, and the 325-hp, AWD Sport isn't where I'm going to pick nits, especially for $35-40K. This thing's comfortable, well-equipped, quiet and seriously powerful.

The only thing I find weird about the Fusion Sport is something I take issue with across the model line (and extending into the related Lincoln MKZ): The seats have what's known as a high H point -- the location where your hips sit in the vehicle. Even with the multiway adjustable seat in the lowest position, I feel like I'm sitting too high in the car. It's a Ford DNA thing that I actually like in my wife's Explorer but not as much in the brand's passenger cars -- I'm fairly tall and gangly, though, so your experience may vary.

If it weren't for the sluggish transmission, the Fusion Sport would be a sort of bargain domestic Audi S4; unfortunately no combination of Sport mode (Sport Sport?) and paddle shifting could get the six-speed automatic to move with any urgency. Seasoned drivers will sense the potential in Ford's lovely 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6, and for them the pause between gears will be infuriating.

That's when you're reminded this is a hot family sedan, not a true sports sedan in the AMG/M or even SRT idiom; I'm not apologizing for the Fusion Sport -- even with the soft shifts it's going to be quicker than anything many Americans have ever driven, yet its price makes it accessible to buyers on a middle-class budget. It's an ideal upgrade for someone who wants some spice in their daily driver.

I like the looks, the subtlety, masking the 325 hp, the all-wheel drive’s awesome grip and the taut ride/handling. There’s a black grille with a chrome ring, a small trunk spoiler and quad exhaust tips. That’s it. I appreciate the restraint.

This thing is quick, surprisingly quick in fact. It’s also flingable, or as flingable as a near 4,000-pound sedan can be. It is a genuinely fun-to-drive midsize sedan in my opinion. At least I had fun in it.

The V6 is quiet whilst idling, but when goosed it growls like a V8. Mash the gas pedal and the thing jets away from a stop (almost) like a muscle car. The six speed (more robust to handle the extra power Ford says) runs through the gears drama free.